YouTube can now remind users to take break from watching videos

Working towards the ‘digital well-being’ of its users, Google is trying to launch new features for its users to get rid of smartphone addiction. One of them includes YouTube giving a reminder if a user is spending too much time watching videos.

At its annual developer conference, Google I/O 2018, Google CEO Sundar Pichai is working to launch new features regarding ‘digital well-being’ of its users to prevent them from spending too much time on their phones. Google added a new feature to YouTube mobile app that fits on these requisitions.

People who binge-watch YouTube videos can now save their time and can be alerted when they are spending too much time on the video site. The optional ‘Take a Break’ option has been integrated to the platform where the user will get notified after a particular chosen time to stop watching YouTube videos.

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To activate the feature in YouTube mobile app, the user will have to click on their display picture in the top right and go to ‘Settings’. From there, further tap ‘General’ where an option will appear ‘Remind me to take a break’. Upon tapping the option, a list of reminders will appear and the user can choose from ‘Never, every 15, 30, 60, 90, or 180 minutes. YouTube will then do its work and send reminders to take a break from watching videos, helping users to stop wasting their time. User can disregard the option if the wish to, reported Tech Crunch.

Moreover, YouTube has also added a new setting for a ‘scheduled digest’ that combines all the notification from the app into a single list and deliver it at a specific time of the day of the user’s choice. Also, with the latest Android P mobile OS, new features will come under the same initiative and more.

“People are anxious to stay up to date on all the information out there. They have FOMO, fear of missing out. We’ve been talking to people and they introduced us to JOMO, the actual joy of missing out. So we really think we can help users with digital well being,” said CEO Pichai, as per Business Insider.